Loosehead prop Sti Sithole said the DHL Stormers pack is primed to lock horns with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday, in what they expect will be a grudge match.
The Stormers face the Durban outfit in round 10 of the Vodacom URC at Kings Park. John Dobson’s charges are in seventh place on the standings, while the Sharks are languishing at the foot of the table.
The teams renew hostilities after the Stormers clawed out a narrow win in a tense round 9 battle between the coastal rivals three weeks ago.
Speaking in a Stormers conference on Tuesday, Sithole acknowledged that the Sharks have a score to settle, but he confirmed the Capetonians are ready for the confrontation.
“I’m sure they will look at that game and look at where they got hurt the most,” he told reporters. “They will come with some extra vengeance there; we’re aware of that and we’ll also come with a bit of fire.”
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Sithole earned three Stormers caps as a 21-year-old and returned to the franchise this season a more experienced player with more than 100 senior caps to his name.
The 30-year-old highlighted the rigorous standards set within the Stormers while hailing the intensity of their set-piece training as players constantly challenge each other.
“The environment is excellent, a great high-performance culture as well. It’s been tough but I’m enjoying this chapter,” Sithole said.
“‘[Our scrum sessions are tough], we really go at each other – I just came from one right now and I’m quite sore!
“We push each other to the max and really test each other. It all starts at training, there’s a great cohesion within our pack and anyone can slot in and do it well.
“It doesn’t matter who plays in our front row, we all do well. We’ve got a good thing going and we’re eager to perform.
“[Our scrum sessions] is a component of it [our success], it helps to put our performances up there. And the culture all together, that’s our secret at the moment.”
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
